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chamois
[ sham-ee; French sha-mwah ]
/ ˈʃæm i; French ʃaˈmwɑ /
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noun, plural cham·ois, cham·oix [sham-eez; French sha-mwah]. /ˈʃæm iz; French ʃaˈmwɑ/.
verb (used with object), cham·oised [sham-eed], /ˈʃæm id/, cham·ois·ing [sham-ee-ing]. /ˈʃæm i ɪŋ/.
to dress (a pelt) with oil in order to produce a chamois.
to rub or buff with a chamois.
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Origin of chamois
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French, from Late Latin camox, presumably of pre-Latin origin; cf. gems
Words nearby chamois
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use chamois in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for chamois
chamois
/ (ˈʃæmɪ, French ʃamwa) /
noun plural -ois
(ˈʃæmwɑː) a sure-footed goat antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, inhabiting mountains of Europe and SW Asia, having vertical horns with backward-pointing tips
a soft suede leather formerly made from the hide of this animal, now obtained from the skins of sheep and goats
Also called: chamois leather, shammy, shammy leather, chammy, chammy leather (ˈʃæmɪ) a piece of such leather or similar material used for polishing, etc
(ˈʃæmwɑː)
- a yellow to greyish-yellow colour
- (as modifier)a chamois stamp
verb (tr)
to dress (leather or skin) like chamois
to polish with a chamois
Word Origin for chamois
C16: from Old French, from Late Latin camox of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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